TOM PARKER, I OWE YOUApril 17, 2026

An ancient Jewish saying goes, “Acquire a teacher and make yourself a friend.” Tom Parker was both.

Tom Trebitsch Parker died last month at 82. Trebitsch was the family name in Austria, changed after Tom’s parents fled Nazi persecution of Jews. Tom was an accomplished writer of fiction, including the novels “Small Business” and “Anna, Ann, Annie.” A sought-after ghostwriter, he hit a home run for Hall of Fame baseball player Dave Winfield’s best-selling autobiography, “Winfield: A Player’s Life.”

Tom also was a gifted teacher of creative writing. He made a big impact on my work.

There’s another old saying: Every writer needs an editor. How true! My “first writing career” unfolded mainly in the 1980s. I wrote a novel, “The Man in the Box.” I had an agent in New York. He couldn’t sell it—or a second manuscript. We parted ways amicably. I wish I’d known Tom then.  

I stopped writing fiction. I had a family to support, and my freelance copywriting business needed my full attention. In 2011—at age 67—I began a new novel as something of a lark. At coffee with two friends, I casually mentioned what can best be called a “story” rather than a “lie.” The National Basketball Association was expanding to Europe, but one franchise would be in a sultanate on the Persian Gulf. With the war in Iraq concluding, Washington wanted to create pro-American sentiment in the region and wider Arab world.

That led to my geopolitical satire, “Slick!” A friend referred me to Tom as a top pro who could review the manuscript and offer valuable advice. We connected. Tom did. As with half-a-dozen of my novels, he provided strategic advice along with detailed page notes. He always was spot on!

Regarding “Slick!”, Tom suggested a different approach to the opening scene. In response, I showed the aged Sultan of Mokhtar, suffering from dementia, standing on a cliff overlooking his land and rambling on. Something dramatic happened. Want to find out? Read it.

Thanks to Tom’s advice, Kirkus Reviews chose “Slick!” as one of the 50 best Indie (independently published) books of 2012.

Working with Tom was like taking an MFA course. He brought my attention to specific matters regarding a manuscript, like suggesting that the troubled dad in “The Boy Walker” be 10 percent more likeable. I found a great solution. As important, Tom gave me important principles to work with. One of my favorites: Don’t write into or out of a scene. Know when to start to grip the reader and when to end rather than go past a wrap-up sentence and cause the scene to peter out.

After I reviewed his strategy and page notes for each novel, we’d go to lunch in Palo Alto near his office. Tom was always available—and often picked up the tab. We talked about the latest novel and many other things. My teacher was a cherished friend.

Many Americans devote themselves to the myth of the self-made man. Reality informs us that we need other people to help us make the most of our talents, no matter how impressive those talents may be. When I write, Tom is always there guiding me. What a gift!

So here’s to Tom Parker. Zichrono livrachah. May his memory be for a blessing.

To understand the background of today’s far-right, authoritarian descent, read my new novel, RIDE THE TYGER. Order from Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, iuniverse.com, or your favorite bookstore.